Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1887-10-01
THE NAN-GIN-TSIN.
An Opium Den Known Throughout the
Chinese Empire.

An Opium Den Known Throughout the
Chinese Empire.
A writer in recent number of the North
China Herald describes the Nan-s in-tsin, the
greatest opium den in China. 1t is known
throughout the length and breadth of the
empire to the Chinese, and it helps to make
Shanghai regarded as a city affording the
same opportunities for pleasure and dssipa-
ton that Paris does the typical Frenchman.
1t is situated in the French concession in
Shanghai, within a stones throw of the wall
of the native city, within which no opium
shops are supposed to exist. The character
of the place could not be guessed from its
external appearance, although the air of the
people passing in and out might suggest
it. The throngs visiting it represent all sta
tons of life, from the coolie to the wealthy
merchant or the small mandarin. 1t
is with difficulty that one gets inside
through the crowds of people hanging
round the door. Those who have not the
the baneful pipe watch with horrible wist
fitness each Of the more affiuent pass in with
nervous, hurried step, or totter out wear
ing that peculiar daZed expression which
comes after the smokers craving has been
satisfied and his transient pleasure has passed
away. One requires a strong stomach to
stand the sickening fumes with which the
air inside is thickened. The clouds of smoke.
the dim light from the numerous colored
lamps, the numbers of reclining forms with
distorted faces bent over the small flames at
which the pipes are lighted, cause the novice
a sickening sensation. But as soon as the
eye becomes accustomed to the scene it is
noticed that the place is got up on an expen-
sive scale. In the centre of the lower room
hangs one of the finest of Chinese lamps,
the ceiling is of richly carved wood, while
the painted walls are thickly inlaid with a
Ix.I H..
idea of unfinished landscape sketches.
Numerous doors on all sides lead to the
smokers apartments. In the outer portion
of the building stands counter covered
with little boxes of the drug ready for smok-
ing, which dozen assistants are kept busy
the habitues of the place. The average daily
receipts are said to be about 81 900. The
smoking apartments are divided into four
classes. In the cheapest are coolies, who pay
about fourpence for their smoke. In the
dearest the smoke costs about sevenpence.
The drug supplied in each class is much the
same, both in quality and quantity it is the
difference in the pipes that regulates the
price. The hest kinds are made of ivory, the
stem being often inlaid with stones and rem
dered more costly by reason of elaborate
carving; the cheapest kinds are made simply
of hard wood: The rooms also are furnished
accordingto class. In the most expensive the
lounge upon which the smoker reclines is of
fine velvet. with pillows of the same material;
the frames of each couch are inlaid with
mother-ofpearl and jade, and the whole air
of these rooms is one of sensuous luxury.
There is also a number of private rooms. In
the poorer sections will be seen many wearers
of the tattered yellow and gray robes of Budd-
hist and 'ravist priests. Women form a fair
proportion of the smokers. The common
belief is that the opium sleep is attended by
a mild pleasurable delirium, with brief
glances of Elysium but this is the excep-
ton, not the rule. People smoke to satisfy
the craving begotten of previous indul-
gence. There is accommodation for $50
smokers at time, and there is seldom va
cancy very long. The stream of smoke goes
ON from early morning till midnight, when
the place closes the clouds of smoke go up
often visit the place, but the seamen of
American men-of-war visiting Shanghai
sometimes seek solace in the drug.